IB Psychology Paper 1 Review - Sociocultural Approach

SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY

Tajfel and Turner (1971)

The study aimed to investigate how minimal group conditions influence intergroup discrimination, laying the foundation for Social Identity Theory.

The study involved 64 boys aged 14–15 from a school in Bristol, UK. The boys were randomly assigned to groups; They were then asked to allocate points or money to members of their own group and the other group. The researchers analyzed whether participants favored their own group over the out-group in their allocations.

Even in the absence of competition or meaningful group differences, participants consistently favored their own group. This demonstrated that mere group membership was enough to create in-group bias.

SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

Bandura et al (1961 and 1963)

The study aimed to investigate whether children learn aggression through observation and imitation of a model. The 1963 adaptation of this study investigated the effects of filmed aggression leading to imitation.

The first study used 72 children (36 boys and 36 girls) aged 3–6 years from Stanford University Nursery School. The children were divided into three groups:

• One group observed an adult behaving aggressively toward a Bobo doll.

• Another group observed a non-aggressive adult model.

• A control group had no exposure to a model.

After exposure, the children were placed in a room with toys, including a Bobo doll, and their behavior was observed. Researchers recorded the number of aggressive acts performed by the children, including physical and verbal aggression.

Children who observed the aggressive model were more likely to imitate aggressive behavior. Boys were more likely to imitate physical aggression than girls. Children were more likely to imitate a same-sex model.

The adaptation used 96 children from 3-5 years old. Children were divided into four groups:

• One group observed a live adult model behaving aggressively toward a Bobo doll.

• Another group watched a filmed version of the same aggressive behavior.

• A third group viewed a cartoon character displaying aggression.

• A control group had no exposure to aggression.

After exposure, children were placed in a room with toys, including a Bobo doll, and their behavior was observed. Number of aggressive acts were recorded. Children exposed to aggressive models—whether live, filmed, or cartoon—were more likely to imitate aggressive behavior. The cartoon condition also led to aggression, though slightly less than the other two.

STEREOTYPES

Stone et al (1997)

The study by Stone et al. (1997) aimed to investigate the perceptual confirmation of racial stereotypes in sports, specifically focusing on how stereotypes influence evaluations of athletes' abilities.

51 undergraduate students from Princeton University participated in the study. Participants listened to an audio recording of a college basketball game. They were provided with a folder containing a photograph of the player, which varied in race (Black or White) and perceived athleticism (athletic or non-athletic). After listening to the game, participants completed a questionnaire evaluating the player’s athletic abilities, individual performance, and contribution to the team's success. The evaluations were analyzed to determine how the player's perceived race influenced participants' ratings.

When the player was perceived as Black, participants rated him higher in physical ability and team performance. When he was perceived as White, participants rated him higher in basketball intelligence and hustle. These results suggest that participants relied on racial stereotypes to guide their evaluations of the player's abilities.

CULTURE - BEHAVIOR AND COGNITION

Cohen et al (1996)

The study by Cohen et al. (1981) aimed to investigate how schemas influence memory, particularly whether people are more likely to remember schema-consistent information.

96 college students participated in the study. Participants watched a video of a woman having dinner with her husband. Half of the participants were told that the woman was a librarian, while the other half were told she was a waitress. After watching the video, participants were asked to recall details about the woman. The researchers analyzed the details participants remembered, focusing on whether the recalled information aligned with stereotypes about librarians (e.g., liking classical music, reading books) or waitresses (e.g., drinking beer, eating hamburgers).

Participants were more likely to remember details consistent with the stereotype of the occupation they were told (e.g., librarian or waitress). This suggests that schemas influence both the encoding and retrieval of information, reinforcing stereotypes.

CULTURAL DIMENSIONS

Berry (1967)

The study by Berry (1967) aimed to investigate how cultural differences influence conformity, particularly comparing collectivist and individualist societies.

The study involved two cultural groups:

• The Temne people of Sierra Leone (a collectivist, agricultural society).

• The Inuit people of Baffin Island (an individualist, hunting-based society).

Berry adapted Asch’s line judgment task, where participants were shown a set of lines and asked to identify which matched a reference line. A key manipulation involved providing participants with a false suggestion about which line most people from their culture had chosen. The degree of conformity was measured by how often participants selected the incorrect answer based on the false suggestion.

The Temne participants showed significantly higher conformity rates, likely due to their collectivist culture emphasizing group harmony. The Inuit participants demonstrated lower conformity, reflecting their individualist culture that values independence.

ENCULTURATION

Barry et al (1959)

The study by Barry et al. (1959) aimed to investigate how child-rearing practices are influenced by economic factors across different cultures.

The study analyzed data from 46 different cultures worldwide. These cultures were categorized into two groups:

• High food accumulation societies (e.g., agricultural and pastoral societies).

• Low food accumulation societies (e.g., hunter-gatherer societies).

Researchers examined child-rearing practices, focusing on traits such as obedience, responsibility, self-reliance, achievement, and independence. They studied how these practices were applied to children from around five years old to adolescence. The study assessed whether economic factors influenced the values instilled in children.

High food accumulation cultures emphasized obedience, responsibility, and compliance, encouraging children to follow social norms. Low food accumulation cultures promoted independence, innovation, and self-reliance, fostering adaptability and problem-solving skills.

ACCULTURATION

Torres et al (2012)

The study by Torres et al. (2012) aimed to examine the correlation between acculturative stress and mental health among Latino individuals in the U.S.

The study surveyed 669 Latino individuals living in the Midwest, with 50% born outside the U.S. Participants completed questionnaires measuring:

• Perceived discrimination.

• Acculturative stress.

• Psychological distress (e.g., depression, anxiety).

• Integration into mainstream U.S. culture

Responses were analyzed using a Likert scale (0–5) to assess participants' experiences.

Higher levels of acculturative stress were associated with higher perceived discrimination and greater psychological distress. Participants with higher Anglo behavioral orientation (greater integration into U.S. culture) experienced lower acculturative stress